Imaging and analysis of movement of erythrocytes in blood vessels in relation to the cardiac cycle
First Claim
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1. Apparatus, comprising:
- a heartbeat measurement device, which is operative to sense a cardiac parameter of a patient and to generate a cardiac parameter signal responsively thereto;
an optical measurement device, which is operative to;
acquire images of erythrocytes within a blood vessel of the patient by emitting towards the blood vessel of the patient 400-1000 nm light, and receiving light reflected from the blood vessel, andanalyze movement of the erythrocytes within the blood vessel by processing the images; and
an integrator unit, which is operative to receive the cardiac parameter signal and, in response thereto, to actuate the optical measurement device to acquire the images,wherein the heartbeat measurement device comprises an optical densitometer.
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Abstract
Apparatus (2) is provided, including a heartbeat measurement device (3), which senses a cardiac parameter of a patient and generates a cardiac parameter signal responsively thereto. An optical measurement device acquires data by emitting towards tissue of the patient 400-1000 niti light, and receiving light reflected from the tissue. An integrator unit (10) receives the cardiac parameter signal and, in response thereto, actuates the optical measurement device to acquire the data.
131 Citations
29 Claims
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1. Apparatus, comprising:
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a heartbeat measurement device, which is operative to sense a cardiac parameter of a patient and to generate a cardiac parameter signal responsively thereto; an optical measurement device, which is operative to; acquire images of erythrocytes within a blood vessel of the patient by emitting towards the blood vessel of the patient 400-1000 nm light, and receiving light reflected from the blood vessel, and analyze movement of the erythrocytes within the blood vessel by processing the images; and an integrator unit, which is operative to receive the cardiac parameter signal and, in response thereto, to actuate the optical measurement device to acquire the images, wherein the heartbeat measurement device comprises an optical densitometer.
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2. Apparatus, comprising:
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a heartbeat measurement device, which is operative to sense a cardiac parameter of a patient and to generate a cardiac parameter signal responsively thereto; an optical measurement device, which is operative to; acquire images of erythrocytes within a blood vessel of the patient by emitting towards the blood vessel of the patient 400-1000 nm light, and receiving light reflected from the blood vessel, and analyze movement of the erythrocytes within the blood vessel by processing the images; and an integrator unit, which is operative to receive the cardiac parameter signal and, in response thereto, to actuate the optical measurement device to acquire the images, wherein the cardiac parameter signal includes a varying trace indicative of a plurality of parameters of a single heartbeat, wherein the heartbeat measurement device is operative to generate the varying trace, and wherein the integrator unit is operative to estimate a duration of a current, not yet completed, heartbeat responsively to (a) a portion of the varying trace indicative of parameters of a completed previous heartbeat, and (b) a portion of the varying trace indicative of parameters of the current heartbeat. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. Apparatus, comprising:
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a heartbeat measurement device, which is operative to sense a cardiac parameter of a patient and to generate a cardiac parameter signal responsively thereto; an optical measurement device, which is operative to; acquire images of erythrocytes within a blood vessel of the patient by emitting towards the blood vessel of the patient 400-1000 nm light, and receiving light reflected from the blood vessel, and analyze movement of the erythrocytes within the blood vessel by processing the images; and an integrator unit, which is operative to receive the cardiac parameter signal and, in response thereto, to actuate the optical measurement device to acquire the images, wherein the integrator unit is operative to designate the time for actuating the optical measurement device responsively to timing data from the heartbeat measurement device indicative of a duration of an immediately previous heartbeat, and wherein the integrator unit is operative to; (a) actuate the optical measurement device at the designated time during a current heartbeat, (b) subsequently determine the duration of the current heartbeat, (c) process data acquired by the optical measurement device according to a first protocol if the duration of the previous heartbeat differs from the duration of the current heartbeat by less than a threshold value, and (d) process data acquired by the optical measurement device according to a second protocol if the duration of the previous heartbeat differs from the duration of the current heartbeat by more than the threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. Apparatus, comprising:
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a heartbeat measurement device, which is operative to sense a cardiac parameter of a patient and to generate a cardiac parameter signal responsively thereto; an optical measurement device, which is operative to acquire data by emitting light towards tissue of the patient and receiving light reflected from the tissue; and an integrator unit, which is operative to; receive the cardiac parameter signal, designate one or more designated times as suitable for actuating the optical measurement device responsively to the timing data from the heartbeat measurement device indicative of a duration of a prior heartbeat, receive an operator command from a human operator, indicating a readiness to acquire data, and actuate the optical measurement device to acquire the data at one of the designated times, responsively to the operator command, wherein the integrator unit is operative to; (a) actuate the optical measurement device at the one of the designated times during a current heartbeat, responsively to the operator command, (b) subsequently determine the duration of the current heartbeat, (c) process data acquired by the optical measurement device according to a first protocol if the duration of the previous heartbeat differs from the duration of the current heartbeat by less than a threshold value, and (d) process data acquired by the optical measurement device according to a second protocol if the duration of the previous heartbeat differs from the duration of the current heartbeat by more than the threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification